November 15, 2010

Devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help

The Baclaran Redemptorist Church

Our Mother of Perpetual Help Shrine

Last Wednesday, November 10, HB and I completed our 9th Novena at the Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help at the Baclaran Redemptorist Church. For 9 straight weeks, we made time and sought solace and intercession.

Doing the trip itself was no easy task. As we live all the way in Quezon City, it was a 1 1/2 hour trek to Baclaran. We tried EDSA and C5 to see which road had less traffic. We found C5 to be more convenient for us, provided we left the house at 7:20 a.m. so that the mad rush from Xavierville going to Ateneo and Miriam Schools were finished. We traversed C5 all the way to the McKinley Hills and passed by the Fort Bonifacio Road which led all the way up to the Airport Road and turned right on Roxas Boulevard.

Parking was also a major challenge for us. For the first three weeks, we managed to park inside the church grounds. On the succeeding weeks, we tried our luck and parked on the interior road parallel to Roxas Boulevard which required extreme patience. There were times when I almost gave up because I had my work hours to think about, but HB was determined so we persevered. There were a couple of times when we "befriended" an old parking attendant just so he would favor us and give us a slot. But at one time too, the only "slot" available was at a gutter fronting Roxas Boulevard. Thank goodness, HB's car had a trusty suspension and we made it.

The devotion to the novena itself taught us a lot, as the prayers were quite humbling. In addition, there was something very comforting to be amongst people from all walks of life as we all sang the hymns and recited the prayers. It must be true that there is power in the number of people who pray unanimously.

the altar

Through it all, our patience and perseverance was tested. And we learned quite much in those trials because we never gave up. In all those weeks, HB and I learned so much ... about life and about each other. Our devotion proved that we both needed one another to strengthen each other.

On our 8th week, in the midst of reciting the prayers, I looked up and glanced at my husband and thought that my prayers have been answered for he is my miracle. And I felt that we have come a long way since.